


Shiny Demon

by throughthejunobush



Category: Love Island (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Fanfiction, Friends to Lovers, Love Island: The Game Season 3, Pining, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:34:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25506784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/throughthejunobush/pseuds/throughthejunobush
Summary: Love Island season 3 from Seb's perspective. The pining Seb romance that Fusebox wouldn't give us
Relationships: Seb & Main Character (Love Island), Seb/MC, Seb/MC (Love Island), Seb/Main Character, Seb/Main Character (Love Island)
Comments: 60
Kudos: 81





	1. Here We Go Again

Seb liked cats. It wasn’t a particularly interesting personality trait to have, but it was something he knew to be true about himself. And it had never felt so glaringly obvious as the moment AJ bounded over to him eagerly, her blonde hair and light brown eyes shimmering in the sunlight, like a human golden retriever. 

She had just picked him as her partner. First guy to be picked! Something he’d never expected to happen, and he had to wonder what she could be thinking choosing him. She gave him a radiant smile as she took her place by his side. She was gorgeous, no doubt. She seemed kind, enthusiastic, even endearing. But she was not his type. He was a cat person. 

Get it together, Seb. He could already feel the rain clouds gathering in his mind. Immediately spotting the negative in every opportunity. Did he think people were going to come swarming to his record shop because they loved mopey bastards so much? He tried to summon a genuine smile. 

“Alright?” 

“Alright! I’m AJ!” She practically vibrated with energy. 

“Uh, I know. She just said your name.” He nodded toward the host.

“Oh yeah, of course.” AJ blushed and a funny little frown tugged at her mouth. Everything about her screamed “cute”. Which he wasn’t knocking. But it wasn't something that mixed particularly well with him. 

“I love your look! Are you like, a musician or something? One of the other girls is a musician!” She looked wistfully toward the Villa.

“Ah no,” he mumbled. “I sell music though. I own a shop.” 

“Lush!” 

The next girl that came out, Elladine, was curvy and beautiful with an edgy looking undercut. Seb thought she may be the musician AJ had referenced, but apparently she was a glassblower. She picked Nicky, who seemed like a nice enough bloke. He was pleased to be chosen by her. 

There was a surprising amount of lag time between introductions and the Spanish heat was starting to ramp up in earnest. Elladine and Nicky chatted easily. Seb and AJ made a few attempts at casual conversation, but Seb could feel his grumpiness inching up along with the temperature. 

“Alright!” someone on staff called out. “Next girl up! Stevie!” 

Everyone straightened up, making themselves camera ready, and directed their gaze to the Villa exit where the new Islander, presumably Stevie, would appear. 

“Fuuuuck me.” The words slipped out of him like air farting out of a deflating balloon when she came into view. He shot a sideways glance over at AJ to see if she had noticed, but she, too, was preoccupied by the appearance of Stevie. 

A mop of silvery purple-blue hair danced around the striking features of the new girl’s face as she stalked like a panther towards them. She had pouty, full lips and stormy, penetrating eyes that coasted slowly over the other Islanders. She reminded Seb of a French actress from an old movie his ex had made him watch. A classic beauty. If not for her otherworldly hair and the thin gold hoop in her nose, she could have stepped right out of a 60s film.

Once he could tear his eyes away from her face, he noticed the delicate tattoos scattered over her body. One on her collarbone, one on her forearm, one that peeked out of her plain black suit and crept around her hip. He couldn’t make out what they were from this distance, and he badly wanted a closer look. 

Seb had always wanted to get a tattoo, himself, but he’d poured everything he’d ever earned into his dream of owning a record shop. That was why he was here in the first place. 

Not that he thought he stood a chance of winning. Gabby, one of his employees, had suggested it. Thought it would be good exposure for the shop. According to them, there would be any number of teenage admirers who would come to get a coffee and a vinyl from the Love Island geezer, whether he won or lost. “It’s honestly better if you leave single,” they’d said. “Then they’ll think they have a shot with you.” 

It sounded like a proper nightmare to Seb, but if that’s what saved the shop, he was willing to give it a go. Gabby pretty much took care of the whole application process, and unbelievably, he ended up here, melting in the Majorca sun. Gabs had some wild ideas, but that was one of their best qualities. They brought the wild, reckless optimism to the business that Seb often lacked, and somehow, it usually paid off. Seb trusted them. Enough to leave the shop and Doom in their care while he was gone. His thoughts wandered to Doom, whether she’d had her kittens yet, and if they were all okay. 

He fiddled with his necklace nervously as he watched Stevie interact with the remaining guys, who looked dumbfounded at the sight of her. 

Bill, an anthropomorphized loaf of white bread, stepped forward first to introduce himself. “Alright, beautiful? I’m Bill. I’m gonna come right out and say it. You look like a bit of me.” It was a line he had used on both AJ and Elladine. Seb just knew he had practiced it in the mirror before coming out here. 

Based on the approximately 45 seconds in her presence, he couldn’t imagine Stevie would go for a basic guy like Bill. Even his name was bland. But to his surprise, her serious face alighted into a flirty smile. Bill looked made up as she turned toward the next guy, a tall Latin lover type named Camilo. 

“Hola chica. Welcome to the Villa. Amazing, isn’t it?”

“Is it?” she replied, not giving him an inch, and increasing Seb’s steadily developing crush. 

Camilo gave a conceding smirk. He didn’t seem used to his whole sex-on-a-stick thing falling flat. “Well, it is now you’re here.” He looked down bashfully and flashed her a dazzling smile when his eyes crept up to her again. “Sorry. That was really cheesy. It’s just, I think me and Bill had the exact same reaction.” His tone was surprisingly earnest. “So I thought I should try and fancy it up a bit.” Okay, this guy was smooth. 

She said something in a low, rich voice, but Seb couldn’t make it out. You just knew when someone had a voice like that they could sing. Whatever she said brought a smile to Camilo’s face. 

Stevie’s intense gaze softened a bit when she set her eyes on the third guy. A smaller lad who smiled nervously at her, puffing out his chest. “Hey. I’m Harry. For what it’s worth, I’m just as gobsmacked as these other two. But I won’t try to sway you. You’ve got to listen to your gut.” He rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. “Or your heart. Or, like, whatever part of your body you trust to make these decisions.” At the mention of her body, more than a few pairs of eyes traveled the length of her long, soft frame. 

Stevie didn’t seem to notice, as her eyes were locked on Harry, her face in a soft, concerned expression. You could practically hear the “Bless his heart” knocking around in her head.

Before she announced her decision, she looked over toward the four of them who had already coupled up. Seb suddenly forgot how to stand like a normal human, and he secretly cursed Gabby for selecting these dumb skeleton swimming trunks for him. 

Elladine and AJ gave her encouraging smiles. Stevie’s eyes connected with his and maybe he imagined it, but it felt like her look lingered a little longer than it had on Nicky. Seb scowled, which was his go-to defense mechanism when he was uncomfortable. 

Stevie directed her attention back to the yet-to-be-chosens and raised her voice a little louder so everyone could hear her. She had an American accent. “The boy I want to couple up with is…” For the briefest moment, her eyes shot back over to the four of them. Was she looking at Seb? Or could she have been looking at AJ? 

“Bill.” 

AJ let out a little burst of pent up air that coincided exactly with the rush of disappointment flooding his stomach. She went for a guy like Bill? He could not be more different from Seb.

Bill grinned like a fool as Stevie made his way over to him. “Nice one.” She kissed him on the cheek and they exchanged a few inaudible words as they made their way to the other couples. 

Elladine was the first to greet her. “Hey, girl! Congratulations! You really bagged yourself a hottie there.” She covered her mouth with her hand and gave Nicky an apologetic look. “Uh, no offence, Nicky.”

He flashed a charming smile. “None taken.” He nodded at Stevie. “Hi, by the way. I’m Nicky. I’m the lucky guy who’s coupled up with Elladine.” 

She leaned in conspiratorially toward Stevie. “I told you I’d get myself a musician, didn’t I, babes?” Nicky and Elladine shared a dreamy look. “I’ve already got a really good feeling about this.” Seb suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. They seemed nice enough but they were laying it on a little thick. 

AJ chimed in tentatively. “Er, yeah. Me too.”

Stevie’s eyes fell on him, a small smile on her face, but her eyes appraising. 

“Aright? My name’s Seb. I’m coupled up with AJ.” Up close he noticed a small dusting of freckles on the bridge of her nose and cheeks. He couldn’t help but notice the odd lines and lumps pressing through the material that covered the full curve of her breasts, like there was something stuffed in her top. He couldn’t look too closely lest he appear to be checking out her… assets. 

AJ regained her footing and nabbed Stevie’s attention. “I coupled up with a musician, too!” she said proudly. 

“Well, no. I’m a shopkeeper,” he corrected her. 

AJ gave him a puzzled look. “But you must know about instruments to sell them, right?”

“It’s not that kind of music shop. I sell records. You know, CDs and vinyl and stuff. There’s a coffee shop, too.”

Recognition poured over her features. “Oh! With you now, sorry.” 

Stevie spoke for the first time since walking over. “I used to work at a record store back home.” 

“And she’s a musician too!” AJ chirped before Seb had a chance to respond. “She’s the one I mentioned before.” AJ’s periwinkle nails, the same color as Stevie’s hair, dug into his skin as she gripped his arm excitedly, but she couldn’t seem to take her eyes off Stevie. Before he could ask any follow up questions, AJ added, “This is so nice, you guys! We’re already learning so much about each other!” 

Stevie gave her a warm smile, but when the crew called their attention back and everyone else looked away, Stevie’s face fell into a solemn expression. She looked tired. 

“We’re still waiting on two more new girls, right?” AJ asked with seemingly boundless energy. 

“Yeah, I wonder what they’ll be like,” Elladine answered.

“Maybe they got lost on the way here,” Stevie added in a bored tone. “This place isn’t exactly well signposted.”

“Bad news for the leftover boys if you’re right,” Nicky said.

Bill gave them a pitying look. “I wonder if they’d be open to coupling up with each other.”

AJ sighed. “I feel bad for them. Nobody wants to get picked last.” 

“Yeah,” Elladine agreed. “And it’s pretty obvious they both wanted to get picked by Stevie…”

Everyone looked to Stevie, whose hair was pearlescent in the late morning sun. She was looking out at the two remaining boys with an inscrutable expression. She rubbed a thumb absentmindedly over a tattoo on her forearm. From what he could make out, It was some kind of geometric arrangement of lines. Bill wrapped his arm around her hip and pulled her close. The producers encouraged the Islanders to appear cosy with their partners during the coupling, but it still irritated Seb to see him getting so handsy. Stevie didn’t pull away, but her expression remained hardened and focused away from the group. 

AJ’s voice bubbled next to him. “Well, maybe their perfect soulmates are about to walk out of that door any second.” 

Another flare of annoyance flicked at his stomach, which was beginning to wince irritably in hunger. “Let’s not kid ourselves. That kind of thing never happens in the real world.” At his words, Stevie’s eyes shot over to Seb with interest. 

“Alright, but this isn’t exactly a normal situation, is it?” Nicky said genially. “It’s Love Island! Where dreams come true.” He gazed fondly at Elladine. Stevie released a tiny scoff and blessed Seb with a smirk that felt like a shared secret between them. 

“Wow, corny,” Seb joked. Stevie looked away, but her devilish smile grew wider. 

Nicky slapped Seb on the back, causing his upper body to lurch clumsily forward. “Come on, mate. The magic only works if you believe in it.”

“Maybe that’s why nothing magical ever happens to me,” Seb grumbled. 

Stevie crossed her arms. “If we’re gonna have fun in the Villa, it won’t be from magic.” There was a cynical, almost sad undertone to her words, but her demeanor shifted into something more confident and silly as she propped her hand on her hip. She affected a butchered Scouse accent. “It’ll be from hard grafting.” 

Seb smiled at her. “You got that right.”

The crew hushed them to prepare for the next Islander, who had in fact found her way here. He assumed anyone following Stevie would be anticlimactic, but Iona was packing a fiery, dripping-with-sex personality that seemed to pair well with Camilo. Not to mention her extensive underboob drew the avid attention of the remaining lads.

The final girl, Genevieve, was gorgeous and gracious. She managed to make Harry feel desirable despite him being her only choice. She seemed like the type who always knew how to set people at ease while still managing to be genuine. She was the type of girl Seb should be going for. Not another musician baddie who didn’t believe in love. 

Elladine clapped her hands together. “I think that’s everyone.” 

Bill pulled Stevie tight to his hip. “Five great ladies, five great gents, five great couples. Makes sense to me.” 

Seb realized he was the only one who wasn’t touching his partner and he awkwardly put an arm around AJ. Her body stiffened as she said, “Don’t you think it’s a bit early to say whether our couples are great or not?” Her eyes were once again trained on Stevie and Bill. 

“I dunno. I’ve already got a pretty great feeling about this one.” Bill gave Stevie a flirty look. She returned a polite smile and wrapped her arm loosely around his waist. 

“Well, it’s not a competition,” Iona said. 

“It sort of is, though. Only the strongest couple can win the fifty grand,” Nicky weighed in. 

Stevie put a hand to her chin and looked around the group discerningly. “Based on first impressions, I think the strongest couple here will be Genevieve and Harry.” Genevieve gave Stevie a grateful smile. It was a kind gesture, helping boost the timid-looking Harry whose confidence must have taken a blow after being picked last. Not that Seb felt too sorry for him. He’d ended up with one of the best looking girls in the group. 

Bill pouted. “Stronger than you and me?”

Stevie looked at him blankly. “I’m just being honest.” 

Iona rolled her eyes. “All I meant was, it might be a good competition, but it doesn’t really matter who wins. We’re all just here to find love, right?”

“I’m here to have fun.” Stevie gave a small shrug. “Love is great and winning is fine, but why put so much pressure on it? I’ll be happy if all I get from this is a few cool new friends.”

AJ agreed enthusiastically. “Wow, yes! Stevie just said it better than I ever could.”

“Oh my days, you guys!” Genevieve gasped. “I’ve got a text!” 

She read it aloud. 

_ Islanders, it’s time to get to know each other a little better. Please make your way to the challenge platform and get ready to unpack some secrets about your fellow Islanders! #excessbaggage #gettingtoknowyou _

A groan escaped him before he could stop himself. “We’ve only just got here and we’re already being challenged? I was hoping we could get a nap in first.” 

Stevie gave him a wide-eyed look and took a step closer to him, slipping out of Bill’s embrace. “I had a little nap just before I came out!” 

“Oh mate, I wish I’d thought of that. Such a good move. I’m a little peckish, too.”

“Me too!” She said with a surprising amount of enthusiasm. “I was saying to Elladine, I’d love some kind of snack.” Elladine laughed and nodded in confirmation. 

Bill closed the distance Stevie had just created and wrapped his arm around her again. “Maybe I’m the kind of snack you’re after.” 

Stevie shook him off with a disapproving grimace, like she’d just tasted something foul. “That’s not the kind of snack I mean.”

A tiny bubble of joy expanded in Seb’s chest at her candid rejection of Bill’s attempt to woo her. An involuntary smile crept across his face, so to cover he pretended to still be daydreaming about a kip. “A little nap would be just the ticket.”

Nicky the know-it-all jumped in, as Seb had already come to expect. “I hate to sound like a stuck record, mate, but it’s Love Island. You’ve seen the show before, right? You didn’t just get off at the wrong bus stop and end up here by mistake? Because if that’s what happened, the sooner you admit it, the less awkward it’s going to be.”

Elladine gave Nicky a playful slap. “Aw, stop teasing him. He just needs a bit of time to get used to it, that’s all.”

The crew began ushering the group toward the challenge platform. Against his better judgment, Seb dawdled a bit, hoping to catch a moment with Stevie. Maybe she just had strong feelings about naps and snacks (who could blame her), but he could have sworn there was a bit of chemistry between them just then. 

Unfortunately, Bill pulled her aside for a chat, so Seb continued on with the rest of the group. He had too much pride to stand around waiting like an overeager school boy.

But not enough pride to mind his business completely. He kept an eye on them, hoping to see her put Bill in his place again. However, the happy bubble that had filled his chest moments before burst in disheartened surprise as he watched Stevie step close to BIll and pull him in for a passionate kiss. There was something determined, almost dominant about her kiss. Rather than looking swept away, she pressed herself doggedly against him with her eyes clenched shut. Bill’s fingers gripped into her hips like he was on a rollercoaster, holding on for dear life. 

After what felt like ages, she pushed Bill away and gave him a serious, scrutinizing expression. Bill looked positively breathless as he adjusted his tented shorts. Lucky sod. 

This is why Seb needed to stop pining after wild, unpredictable women. They, without fail, led to heartache. Yet he could never seem to get enough of it. 

He’d made up his mind to look away, but lost all volitional functioning when Stevie’s hands crept tantalizingly to the top of her bathing suit and pulled the material away from her chest while giving Bill a come hither look. Seb’s breath hitched as he looked on in horror, waiting to see if Bill got way more than he deserved.

But to his surprise, Bill reared his head back in a booming laugh. Stevie tipped forward while several shiny packets of condoms poured out of her top. Well, that explained the weird ridges he saw earlier. Seb couldn’t help but smile as Stevie ran toward the group cackling, leaving Bill and the condoms behind. 

Her laugh was like a beam of sunshine full of sparkly dust penetrating the air. He felt drawn to it, like Doom following around the warmth of the sun spot that meandered its way through the shop in the morning. It was such a stark contrast to the formidable expression she wore when she stopped smiling. Her eyes threatened to swallow you up with their dark intensity, pulling all the light from the room like a black hole.

Thank God AJ had picked him first. This girl would surely destroy him. 


	2. Excess Baggage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Islanders complete their first challenge.

A platform. A luggage carousel. A series of suitcases. Not setting the scene for the sexiest challenge, so far. But Seb had decided before arriving that he was going to give the challenges an honest shot. When it came to romance he tended to take the Battle-of-Who-Could-Care-Less route, and while he’d pulled it off successfully, it didn’t feel much like winning. He may as well give the “love” part of Love Island a chance, and he’d been coming to the realization as he approached his 30s that at the end of the day, “indifferent” and “aloof” were just cover versions of the same boring song. 

“So, do we  _ actually _ have to kiss who we think the clue is about?” A mischievous smile bloomed on Genevieve’s face. “Or can we just use this as a way to kiss someone we think is hot?” 

Elladine tilted her head thoughtfully. “Well, you wouldn’t win the game…” 

Genevieve waggled her eyebrows. “But you’d get to snog someone you like.” A rumbling of laughter gave way to a charged silence as the Islanders glanced around, presumably determining who exactly they would like to snog. 

Seb considered his own options. AJ was cute, but young and not his type. Elladine was gorgeous, but her and Nicky hadn’t so much as looked at anyone else. He didn’t feel motivated enough to interfere with that. Iona was fit, but she came on a little strong. Like it was really important to her that everyone knew what she was like. Not a total dealbreaker, by any means. But it could get tiresome to have someone trying to prove themselves to you all the time. Genevieve was certainly interesting. She seemed fun. Enthusiastic, but not disingenuous. She was probably pretty different from him, but in a way that might work. Not to mention she was hot. 

And then Stevie. Exactly his type. Every girl in his past had been some variation of Stevie. Artistic, sensual, a little mean. A bit dark and twisty, just like him. She was exactly the type he was trying to avoid by coming on this show. He needed sunshiney. He needed nice. He’d been kicked in the heart balls by so many Stevies. So naturally, he was the most drawn to her. 

He really tried to fully participate in the challenge, but could only half-pay attention. There had been so much standing and waiting in the heat. His mind kept drifting to thoughts of snacks and naps. The first clue was something about a baby badger. Elladine kissed Nicky, which turned out to be the right answer. Seb didn’t catch the story because he was lost in the details of Stevie’s tattoos.

A minimalist mountain range, made of nothing but two jagged lines, decorated her mid-thigh. It complimented the vine of leaves and flower buds twisting wildly up her other leg. When she swayed restlessly side to side, something white shimmered at the tip of each unopened blossom. He strained to get a better look and noticed each closed bud was punctuated by a pearlescent gash. Little scars. They increased in number as the vine crept up her hip until disappearing under her bathing suit completely, seeking refuge in the hidden dark underneath her clothes.

Before he could wonder too long about the origin of those scars, Stevie was on the move, heading toward the conveyor belt to grab a suitcase. “This boy,” she read out in her husky American accent, “got caught having sex in his mom’s wardrobe.”

“Woah,” AJ said, her eyes wide. 

“Filthy,” Genevieve smirked. 

“I reckon that’s something Seb would do.” He startled at the sound of Elladine saying his name. He’d had sex in some odd places (a laundromat, top of a doubledecker bus, a church) but his mum’s wardrobe wasn’t one of them. Frankly he was never at his mum’s house enough to do something like that. 

“Or maybe it’s Bill,” Stevie said, narrowing her eyes thoughtfully. After thinking a moment more, she locked her gaze onto him. “Seb.” His name floated from her lips with a powerful certainty, like a witch conjuring a spell, and it set his insides trembling. 

She swiveled her decorated hips in his direction and one of her long legs stretched toward him. Every nerve in his body stood at attention in anticipation of her approach, but Iona’s voice crashed into his awareness. “Okay, I’ll go and kiss him.” 

Stevie pulled back, and the dark magic of her call dissipated. His stomach lurched like he had taken one step too many on a staircase. He should have felt relieved. Iona was fit. And he’d sworn off dating musicians anyway. 

Iona sauntered over to him and he took a steadying breath. It’s not that he was nervous per se. He knew he was a good kisser. But he liked his personal space, and he wasn’t used to renouncing those boundaries so quickly. Well, at least when he was sober, in the middle of the day, with a bunch of people watching him. But Iona’s kiss was surprisingly nice. Soft, brief, not too over the top. “Thank you for that,” he said. 

“Any day.” She stuck her tongue out brazenly, making sure to draw extra attention to her tongue ring by clacking it against her teeth before she turned away, which effectively killed any attraction the kiss had stirred. Stevie caught his eye and pulled her mouth into a quick cringing grimace. He gave her an appreciative smirk in return. 

Once Iona returned to the girls she held Seb’s eye suggestively. “Would the guy getting sweaty and sexy in weird places please come forward?”

“Did I get it right?” Stevie asked. 

“Nope.” Bill hopped forward. “It was me.” 

AJ gave him a perplexed look. “Why did you have sex in the wardrobe? Aren’t there like, coat hangers and stuff?” 

Bill preserved his confident expression, but his face flushed a red to match his swim trunks. “I was having a house party and there was zero privacy.”

“Please say your mum didn’t catch you,” AJ said. 

“No, no,” he laughed, shaking his head. “She actually has no idea that it happened.”

“Until now,” Genevieve added. 

The color drained from his face as quickly as it had come. “Oh yeah... Awks.” They all shared a good-natured laugh at Bill’s expense, and to his credit, he laughed along with them. Seb’s shoulders began to relax. Everyone seemed fairly laid back so far. No one was angling for undue drama. There was a nice breeze alleviating the heat. He’d even gotten his first kiss out of the way. His nerves started to feel settled. Well, until he heard the next clue. “This boy rescued a cat from a burning tree,” Genevieve read. He shifted his weight restlessly, knowing everyone’s attention would soon be focused on him. 

“It’s Seb.” Stevie’s dark eyes bored into him. She said it like it was so obvious. Like she already knew him well.

“Yeah, I think so too,” AJ smiled brightly. “I’ll take this one.” Genevieve shrank back a little and nodded at AJ, her eyes connecting with Seb’s for just a moment before she looked shyly away. 

AJ hurried over to him with a nervous giggle. She reached up for his face, but balked just before touching his cheek, redirecting her hand to awkwardly pet his head. She leaned in for a quick peck on the lips. It wasn’t unpleasant, by any means, but there was a complete absence of chemistry or sparks. He could tell from the expression on her face as she pulled away that she felt the same. 

“Okay, can the man who risked his nine lives for cats please come forward?” Genevieve called out. 

Seb stepped forward. “Yeah, it was me. I saved the cat.” He cleared his throat, trying to shake off the nerves. He wasn’t much of a storyteller, and this felt like it was supposed to be his moment to show everyone he had something interesting to offer. “We were camping in the middle of nowhere and had just built our campfire.” He remembered that day so well and he felt a little ache in his chest thinking of the first time he saw Doom. He had taken a walk from his campsite after a fight with his then-girlfriend, Jessie. He couldn’t remember what the fight was about. They were always having spats like that. He stumbled upon this dusty, skittish little kitten, and she took a liking to him. Followed him back to the campsite, bobbing and weaving between his legs the whole time. But when they arrived, she took one look at Jessie and scampered up the tree. “A stray cat climbed the tree next to us. Then suddenly the wind picked up and the tree caught fire.” Genevieve let out a small gasp of alarm. He felt a rush of gratitude for her enthusiastic response, making his story sound more riveting than it actually was. 

“So I climbed up and caught her.” Seb still had a scar on his leg from scrambling up that tree. Jessie was furious with him for being so reckless. And he had to admit, it wasn’t the smartest thing he’d ever done. But the cat had run right into his arms. He knew then he had to keep her. Jessie was actually the one to name her. She called the pair of them Doom and Gloom.

Stevie was wearing a surprisingly soft expression. An approving, almost dreamy look that turned his bones to jelly. “That’s so brave, Seb.” 

AJ jumped in with her effervescent energy. “Once there was a fire in my dad’s kitchen and we were all panicking and trying to find the cats to make sure they were safe. And we found them just stretching out on the floor in my bedroom, directly above where the fire was!”

Seb chuckled. The unfamiliar feeling of belonging washed over him. “Cats are always proper dedicated to finding a warm spot.”

“Or…” Genevieve uttered dramatically. “They started the fire to create the warm spot!”

  
Everyone laughed a little harder than the joke warranted, and Harry shuffled close to Genevieve, wrapping a possessive arm around her. Iona waved her arms quieting them. “OK, OK, enough cat talk. Final clue, girls. Then it’s the boys’ turn to do the kissing.” She turned to Stevie. “You can go and pick another one.” 

Stevie nodded and grabbed another suitcase. “This boy asked a girl out by making her a plate of heart shaped sandwiches.” 

AJ’s eyes softened like a baby doe. “Aw, that’s actually a really sweet one. I feel like Harry would do something like that.” 

Stevie gave Harry an appraising look. “He hasn’t had a kiss yet. Let’s go with him.” Harry’s jaw dropped in happy surprise. Stevie walked confidently over to him, grabbed him by the collar, and pulled him in for a heated kiss. Harry’s knees buckled and he released a whimper into her mouth. 

Finally, Stevie released him and walked away, her expression nonchalant. Seb suppressed a laugh at Harry’s flustered expression. Iona and Camilo began to whoop and cheer and the rest joined them, Bill and Genevieve a little less enthusiastically.

“Whew, that was hot!” Iona fanned herself with the card. “Will the hopeless romantic please step forward?” 

Bill came forward once again. 

“That’s so sweet, man,” Harry coughed, still a little breathless. 

Bill gave him a good-natured smile. “You can never go wrong with a good sandwich. Only problem is that she hated mayo and I put it on every one. I had them for my lunch in the end.”

Nicky laughed. “Nothing says love like mayo, to be fair.” This sparked a debate about the love language of condiments. Seb and Stevie were staunchly pro-mayo, but Camilo made a strong case that anything so bland was a crime against romance. Iona declared mayo a form of hate speech before getting them back on track. 

“It’s the boys’ turn to find out some secrets about the girls! Everyone switch sides.” 

The group followed Iona’s instructions. Seb was closest to the carousel so he grabbed the first suitcase. “This girl once cooked dinner for a guy she had just met and set his kitchen on fire.” 

“Oh, wow,” Camilo whistled. 

“And then didn’t call him back,” Seb finished. Scoffs and laughs erupted from the group. He surveyed his options. He cursed his brain for immediately jumping to Stevie. But to be fair, the clue sounded like something she might do. It was just a challenge, anyway. 

He let his eyes wander over to her. She bit her darkly painted lip as their eyes met. God, he wanted to kiss her. He thought about the way she had passionately kissed Bill and Harry. First he felt nervous that she wouldn’t kiss him like that. Make her lack of interest in him painfully clear to everyone. But then his brain almost immediately tittered into paranoia that she  _ would _ kiss him like that. And then every other kiss would feel boring in comparison. He’d immediately get hung up on her like he’d done with all of his exes and follow her around like a lost dog for the next two weeks. Not to mention that he’d likely get a stiffy on the telly in front of a group of strangers on his first ever challenge. 

“Iona.” His mouth blurted the words without his brain’s permission. Shit. He jogged over and gave her a quick peck on the lips. “She seems like the fire starting type.” 

Iona crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. “Mate, part of my job is avoiding fires.” 

“Is that even a type that, like, people have?” Bill asked. 

“Maybe Seb just wanted to kiss Iona again,” Stevie teased. Then under her breath she added in a Borat voice. “It’s very nice.” 

Everyone stared at her, perplexed by her odd spontaneous impression. Stevie gave an embarrassed smile and looked helplessly to Iona, silently begging her to continue. Iona seemed to catch on. “Right,” she said. “Can the fire starter please step forward?” 

Stevie took a small step toward the middle. “Yeah, I accidentally set an oven mitt on the stove burner.” She shrugged. “No one got hurt. Just my pride…” Her long black lashes lifted like petals of a flower pulling away to reveal the blossom of her eyes. “And his kitchen cabinets.” Several confused feelings ricocheted against one another in his gut. How could someone be so endearing and so dangerous all at once?

There were several more secrets and kisses exchanged after that. Nothing much to write home about. The clues were pretty tame. AJ had gone home with a bridesmaid. Genevieve had taken a waitressing job to get out of a blind date. The kisses were even less exciting than the clues. 

He was daydreaming about what kind of crisps the Villa was stocked with when Harry grabbed a suitcase. “This girl dumped her boyfriend in front of everyone at work.” Harry popped his head up and without any deliberation said, “I reckon it’s Genevieve.” 

He leaned in for a kiss, but bumped his nose against hers. Genevieve giggled. “Don’t worry. I didn’t need my nose.” She placed a guiding hand on his face and brought him in for a sweet kiss. 

Harry’s face was flushed when the kiss ended. “Did I get it right?”

“Nope!” Genevieve beamed.

Stevie stepped forward, one hand worrying the ridge of her tattooed collar bone. “That was me.” 

Harry gave her a surprised look. “Really?”

“Yeah.” She looked down at the ground where her toe was tracing circles on the platform. “I mean, I guess you could call it work. It was a gig.” Everyone stared in silence, waiting for her to continue, which seemed to take Stevie by surprise. “He deserved it,” she added. 

“Oh my days!” Genevieve gasped, contrasting sharply with Stevie’s matter-of-fact tone. “How did you do it?” 

Stevie shrugged. “I…” She hesitated. “I made an announcement, so to speak.Then I left.” 

“What did you say?” Iona asked. A muscle jumped in Stevie’s jaw at the question.

“Yeah, I need details,” Bill jumped in. 

A look flashed on her face that suggested she wanted to disappear into the Spanish hills, but it quickly morphed into a casual smile. “Maybe another day.” Then, once again, she affected a funny voice. If he had to describe it, he’d probably have called it a snobby posh voice. “I’ve got an air of mystery to keep up, haven’t I?” She cleared her throat as though catching herself, then added meekly. “Maybe I’ll reveal more another time.” 

She really was a bit odd. Proper dream girl. 

The chorus of disappointed murmurs didn’t change Stevie’s mind, as she shrugged and stepped back. Camilo grabbed the next suitcase and the game carried on. 

A few more kisses were swapped until Bill got the last clue. “This girl has only ever had sex while on the water.” Everyone exchanged puzzled looks. 

Before they could deliberate, two crew members rolled a massive suitcase out onto the platform. The Islanders exchanged exclamations of shock and excitement. Bill's phone buzzed. “I got a text! 

_ Islanders, there is an unexpected item in your bagging area. Bill, please unzip the case. _

Bill did as directed, revealing an offbeat looking girl with half her hair plaited and all of her smile tenuous. “Hey, you lot. I’m Miki!” She nodded at Bill. “Thanks for getting me out of there.” 

“Wait… what? But…” Genevieve spluttered in shock. 

“It’s a new girl!” Iona cried out. 

The girls ran over to greet her. They learned that Miki was a 21 year old vlogger from Cambridge. She was cute, but young. The whole influencer thing wasn’t really Seb’s cup of tea. And the lion’s share of her attention was on Bill, anyways. 

Without warning, AJ jumped like a startled bird. “Wait, we just had a clue, right? Miki, was it about you? Have you really only ever had sex on the water?” 

Miki bit her lip and looked at Bill. “I guess we’ll have to wait for the boys to guess before we find out, won’t we?”

Bill looked well chuffed at the attention, but shot an uneasy glance toward Stevie. “Well, I think I can guess who to kiss now.” 

He stepped toward Miki tentatively, and she wasted no time in pulling him in for a passionate kiss. Bill tensed up at first, but it didn’t take him long to sink into a lingering, open mouth kiss. 

Seb stole a glance at Stevie. It’s not like she was hopelessly devoted to Bill. She’d essentially done the same thing to Genevieve when she kissed Harry. But this felt different. Her clue had hinted at a sordid history with her ex that clearly involved some pain. He couldn’t tell if Stevie was the cause or the recipient of that hurt. The whole thing cast the current moment in a more sinister light. Although, if Bill’s little snog was giving her any feelings, it didn’t show. 

Seb cleared his throat, and Bill and Miki startled apart. “How was it, mate?”

Bill wiped his mouth and shot a guilty glance toward Stevie, who was still giving away nothing. “I’d say that was… maybe the third best kiss I’ve had today?” He winked at Stevie. She gave him a distracted smile and fiddled with the knot on her bathing suit.

“Wow.” Seb broke the silence. “You’re really cracking on, huh?” 

“Was he right?” Elladine asked.

“Yeah, it’s true. I love the water.” MIki tugged at the braided half of her hair and tilted her head as though posing for a photo op. The guys exchanged uncertain looks. 

Miki’s phone buzzed and she jumped. “Oh! I got a text! That was quick.” 

_ Islanders, that’s the end of the challenge. Hopefully you’ve all learnt a little bit more about your fellow Islanders. Now all the dirt is dished, it’s time for Miki to go and get to know you all. _

“Alright, let’s go huns!” She grabbed Bill’s arm and led him toward the pool. The rest of them followed. 

As they settled down in loungers by the poolside, Bill’s gaze lingered on Stevie. “Call me shallow, but I love how good you look, Stevie. Even when you’re not trying.” 

Stevie slid on a pair of sunnies and leaned back in her chair. “What makes you think I’m not trying?” 

“Oh, um…” Bill stammered. 

Before he could recover, Miki gasped, her eyes wide. “Stevie? The ‘He’s fucking her’ Stevie from Dark Heart?” Excitement coursed through her words. 

Stevie’s obscured face stayed directed toward the distant Spanish hills but her body went eerily still. 

“What are you talking about?” Bill asked.

“Oh my God, it  _ is _ you!” She looked around in disbelief. “You haven’t seen it? There was a week there where that video was everywhere.” 

Realization dawned on Genevieve first. “Stevie, your clue... He cheated on you?” 

“With their bandmate!” Miki squealed.

“That bastard,” Iona said, shaking her head. “I hope you humiliated him.”

“Oh I can tell you exactly what she did.” Miki lifted her hands in the air in front of her as though setting the scene. “They came out on stage and started to play. Stevie walked up to the lead singer-- her boyfriend. Doing, like, a sexy kind of dance. She took his guitar from him, all flirty like. Then...” she paused for dramatic effect, barely able to contain her excitement. “She smashed the thing to bits on the stage! Everyone was just in total shock.” A few of the Islanders cast nervous glances at Stevie. “So then she grabbed the mic, pointed to him and the drummer, and said, ‘He’s fucking her.’ And just left!” She clapped her hands together, practically vibrating with delight. “It was iconic!” 

Stevie gave Miki a dangerously icy smile that clearly indicated that there would be no fucking follow up questions. “Oh, enough about me. I’m hardly the only viral sensation here. You’re an influencer, right? How many followers do you have?” 

Everyone groaned and Bill began to protest, but Miki was successfully redirected and barreled through with the sheer force of her enthusiasm. She began to discuss her various counts and numbers on different platforms and Stevie, once again, directed her attention to the scenery. Seb easily recognized the little storm cloud over her head. It was the same one that usually hovered over his own. 

He nudged her. “So what do you play?”

She shifted her gaze down to her hands, which were picking the lime green nail polish off her nails. She answered with a heavy sigh. “Bass. He played guitar. She played drums.”

“No, not ‘what did you play in the band’. What do  _ you _ play? Generally speaking?”

Her hands stilled their nervous movement and her head lifted a bit. Her mouth tugged into an almost imperceptible smile. “This and that. Mostly guitar.”

“Do you sing?”

“You writing a book or something?” she said, finally turning her head to face him. 

He shot her a cheeky smirk. “Too personal a question?” 

She smiled in earnest and rolled to her side, shifting her hips toward him. “People don’t ever talk to me like I’m a solo act.” 

“Well I assume you’re not still playing with your ex?” 

“Of course we still play together!” She wore a dazzling, playful smile and moved her hands animatedly. “We’re trying this new sound where he makes eyes at the drummer all night and I primal scream into the mic.” 

“Sounds cathartic.” 

“Surprisingly not.” Her smile faltered for a moment. 

“What’s your style? Er, musically, I mean.” 

She shifted on to her back again, turning her gaze away from him. “I don’t share my ‘style’ with just anyone, buddy. Especially not before a first date.” 

He sat up straighter and crossed his arms. “Ooh, I struck a nerve. Still finding your sound?” 

“I  _ have _ a sound.” She mirrored him by crossing her own arms. “But I’m not gonna just bare my musical soul to you right here. Not on Day 1.”

“Fair enough.” He leaned back on his lounger. 

After a moment, she turned toward him again. “Maybe on Day 2.” 

A warm feeling spread throughout his chest, but before he could respond, Miki’s voice rose above the chatter. “I got a text!” 

_ Miki, it’s time for you to decide who to couple up with. All Islanders, please gather at the fire pit for the recoupling. #chooseyourmatch #dontlookback _

Miki's eyes slipped from the screen of her phone to Bill.  Stevie raised an eyebrow above her sunglasses, her lips curled into what could have been the start of a smirk or a grimace. Either way, Stevie was going to be single again soon.

God have mercy on the Villa.

  
  



	3. New Rules

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seb and Stevie have a chat.

“I like your leather jacket.” 

Seb felt the words more than heard them. There was an awkward chill in the air after Miki’s coupling. Bill had pulled Stevie to the side immediately after Miki picked him. And unsure of where to focus their attention, everyone awkwardly milled about in amorphous groups. 

But Genevieve’s words were like a drifting orb of warmth listing gently toward him through the surprisingly brisk night air. Like the iridescent bubble that signaled the good witch in the Wizard of Oz. He turned toward her.

“Oh, yeah? Thanks.” He fumbled for something charming to say back. “I like your… sunflowers.” 

“Thanks,” she beamed, her already-pretty face surging with a lovely smile. “They’re my favorite flower. I love the sun.”

“Cool,” he said. A nervous knot stuck stubbornly in his throat. “I don’t think I have a favorite flower. But sunflowers are nice. Maybe they could be my favorite, too.” It wasn’t a great line, but it was at least a far cry from surly (his MO). Viv seemed so nice. Her face was as bright as an open window. But he couldn’t help but feel like a flying monkey trying to pass as Prince Charming. 

“Hey girl!” Elladine greeted an approaching dark figure. Stevie emerged from the shadows surrounding the firepit, her hips swaying hypnotically. Her body was swathed in all black and the firelight collided with her hair, casting greenish hues about her face. 

Like an unwilling magnet, his eyes were drawn to her. She gave Elladine a quick greeting, but her attention fell on him. Her gaze was sharp, like those few seconds where you touch something either really hot or really cold, but your brain needs a minute to catch up to figure out which. 

“Could I speak to you in private?” 

A knot tightened around his heart. Why did she want to talk to him out of everyone? Newly single, asking for a private chat immediately after getting dumped. This felt like it meant something in the language of Love Island. 

“Yeah, man!” he responded with more enthusiasm than was natural for him. “Let’s go.” 

He stood up. Genevieve frowned and looked around the Villa as though searching for someone. Which made him realize that AJ, his Love Island other half, was nowhere to be found. He turned to Nicky and Elladine who were huddled close together on the bench near him, watching the scene with interest. “I guess if AJ comes by, let her know I’ll be back in a bit.” He looked around the grounds. “Where is she anyway?”

“I think she said something about taking a midnight splash,” Nicky said. Something in his tone made Seb self-conscious. 

Seb chuckled, trying and failing at sounding relaxed. “Too much energy in that one.” He started to walk away and realized he didn’t know where they were going. He turned to Stevie. “Roof terrace?”

“Sounds good.” 

“Don’t have too much fun, you two,” Nicky teased as they walked off. 

Stevie’s presence softened under the gentler fairy lights on the terrace. Her gait relaxed into a bouncier step as she walked over to the ledge. If she was affected by the loss of Bill, it wasn’t showing. Her viral moment with her ex crept to the forefront of his mind. She must be a glutton for punishment to come on a show like this after being cheated on in such a public way. Love Island involved so many “private” conversations, partner swapping, temptation to switch. Why was she here?

Distant splashing sounds punctuated the quiet Spanish landscape. They both looked down at AJ, who was swimming frenzied laps in the pool. Stevie raised her eyebrows and sighed deeply. “I get tired just watching her.” 

“Right? I just don’t get how some people can be so active. I’m useless without two coffees in the morning.”

“I don’t know.” Stevie shifted her body so she was facing him. “Maybe she’s just what I need to wake up in the morning.” Her eyes scanned his face, gauging his reaction. 

So  _ this _ is why she wanted to speak to him. She must want his blessing to pursue AJ. “Oh is there a spark there?” He said encouragingly, his mind a mosh pit of disappointment and relief. “Maybe you should pair up.” 

“What about you two?” She spoke carefully, deliberately. 

He waved his hand. “Nothing’s gonna happen there.” 

Stevie nodded her head in understanding. It was nice of her to ask. That was a class move. He wondered how Harry would react if Seb approached him like this about Genevieve. 

“So, how are you doing?” he asked tentatively. “Tonight must have been tough...” 

Her face lifted into a rueful smile. “I’m great. I’m single and ready to mingle… again… as everyone keeps saying.” 

“Good to see it hasn’t dampened your spirit.” 

She gripped the ledge as she rocked back onto her heels. “Bill wasn’t really my type anyway.” She gave him a businesslike nod. “I usually go for tortured, sad boys like yourself.” 

Seb scoffed. “I am  _ not _ a tortured, sad boy. I’m a tortured, sad  _ man _ .” Stevie snorted, which sent a pleasurable stinging through his limbs. A jolt of happy electricity. “So why did you choose him then? Trying something new?” 

“I don’t have the best track record with guys like you.” Her eyes skirted direct contact with his. 

He nodded, scared to open his mouth and say something dumb. It was like staying in the good graces of a feral cat who had decided to trust you. If you made the slightest wrong move, they’d scamper off and you’d never get close again. 

“Plus I knew it would really piss my ex off to see me with a guy like Bill. Peter is basically his antithesis.” She righted herself again and started tapping rhythmically on the brick with her fingers. “It’s early days, anyway.” She tilted her head thoughtfully. “And Bill seems to be a little too…” Her low, almost gravelly voice created a lovely friction on his senses. “I’m looking for someone a little more....” She waved her hand as if to start over. “Let me put it this way. If I’m borrowing your guitar, I don’t want your shiny, new, bells-and-whistles guitar. That’s too much pressure. I want to borrow your beat up guitar. The one you’ve had since high school and has seen some shit.” 

“So wait, are you calling  _ Bill _ a shiny, new guitar? And who are you borrowing him from?” 

She screwed her face up in thought. “Okay, so it’s not a perfect metaphor. I’m just saying, don’t trust me with unscathed objects. I’m a scathe risk.” She released a little breath that could have been the whisper of a laugh or a sob. He knew her intent was to warn him off. Lower any expectations by clearly pointing out her damages. But Seb had never been the type to favor the pristine or the brand new. His shop was full of used vinyls that held a thousand different tales of heartbreak, loss, love, looking at life from both sides. What was purity worth in the face of a lifetime of hard won experiences?

She reached for her hip (the one with all the little flower buds) and moved as though she were taking something out of her pocket. But, she didn’t have a pocket. Just a smooth expanse of black fabric sloping down her body.  She brought her pointer and middle finger to her pursed lips, as though smoking an invisible cigarette. She sucked in a slow breath. She didn’t even seem to notice she was doing it. Oddity came naturally to her. She wasn’t performatively weird. She just  _ was _ weird. 

“Can I bum one?” 

His question seemed to bring her focus back to the present moment and she looked at her hand in surprise. Then her face unfurled in a twinkly smile that reminded him of dusk. Bright and dark, beautiful and sad, all at the same time. 

She handed him an imaginary cigarette, their fingers brushing as they made the exchange. He mimed lighting it, struggling with the lighter a bit, and took a long drag. 

She released an almost inaudible laugh in the back of her throat. “You’re a little silly.” She gave him a lingering look. “Do you smoke?” 

“Not since my early 20s. You?”

“Quit recently.”

“How’s it going?”

“It’s going. I mostly miss the smoke breaks. Stepping away from everyone for a minute. The deep breaths.”

He picked up her train of thought. “Having a moment to think. Standing in the smoking area with your fellow social pariahs.”

She pointed a finger at him. “Exactly.” She closed her eyes dreamily and inhaled luxuriously. “I miss the smell. I know that’s weird. Everyone thinks it’s gross, but I miss it.” 

“I do too.” He drew in a long breath, his senses arching for the memory of a scent he knew wouldn’t come. Both of his parents were smokers. It was one of the few things he had in common with them as a teen (not that they knew that). 

Seb looked out at the dark landscape. “Your family’s probably sat at home watching all this unfold, right?”

“Oof, hope not. My dad thinks this is just another one my ‘acts of self-destruction.’” She air-quoted the phrase.

“Is he right?”

She was quiet for a moment as she blew out a lungful of imaginary smoke. She held her free hand out as though weighing the possibilities. “Probably.” 

“And what about your mum?” 

She took another, more eager fake puff from her cigarette. “Me mum’s dead,” she blurted out in an exaggerated cockney accent. “Sorry.” She cleared her throat giving a hurried, embarrassed shake of her head. She sighed as though mustering the strength and looked him in the eye. “My mom died when I was in high school.” She grimaced as though the words physically hurt exiting her body. She gripped her forearm over the spot with the tattoo and twisted the skin painfully. “Even years later, I hate saying it out loud. I hate saying it like it’s true.”

“I’m so sorry.” He reached an arm out to pat her consolingly but chickened out at the last moment and fumbled for something to say to distract from his awkwardness. “So… do you always do that? With the funny voices?”

She narrowed her eyes at him. A sorry attempt at pretending she didn’t know what he was talking about. “What ever do you mean?” she said in yet another affected voice. 

He raised an eyebrow at her and said nothing.

“Yes,” she admitted begrudgingly. “It’s… a nervous tic, I guess.” She stared at the ground but her shoulders relaxed. “Now you know my tell. I suppose I’ll have to kill you.” Her head gave a woeful shake. “Shame. I was really starting to like you.”

“You could do,” he agreed casually, feeling a pleasant buzz from her joking familiarity. He genuinely liked her. So much. “Or you could recruit me. I could be your fall guy.” 

“Hm.” She gave him a speculative look. “Like an alliance?” Oddly serious in the midst of their banter.

“Or like a friendship?” 

With one more long, appraising look, she answered. “Friendship.” Like she was trying out the word to see how it tasted. “That’s probably a good idea.” He couldn’t read whether her tone was tender or calculating. “Okay, that’s settled.” She continued, “So friend, are  _ you _ worried about embarrassing yourself in front of your family?” 

“Not exactly. To be honest. I’m not sure my parents even know I’m here.”

“You didn’t tell them?”

“I mean, I mentioned it to them on the phone, but I don’t think they were paying attention. Or even if they were, they probably didn’t really get what I was talking about. They don’t watch much TV. We’re not close. Never have been. Honestly, we all prefer it that way.” Seb clamped his mouth shut before he could say more. This was never a popular topic on dates. Girls always reacted one of two ways: pitying or disapproving. So, he never talked about his family much.

“Good for you, man. If you don’t get on with your parents, there’s no obligation to pretend. Boundaries are healthy.”

Something eased inside of him. An ache he didn’t know he’d had. “Thanks for that. Not everybody gets it. It’s not that we hate each other or anything. We just don’t have much in common. And I don’t have any brothers or sisters to keep in touch with or anything like that.”

“You’re an only child?”

“Yep. It was a bit lonely growing up, but it made me an independent spirit. I’ve always done my best work alone. That’s why I opened my shop in the first place, you know? Running a small business is tough, but it suits me. I’m not good at being part of someone else’s team. I like to do things my way.”

“Good for you.” She punched him lightly on the arm. “Teams are overrated. Besides  _ our _ team, right?” A heavy, quiet beat settled between them. 

“Oh, I didn’t mean--” he fumbled. Brilliant move. Offer his friendship and immediately wax on about what a loner he was. 

Her face creased into a dismissive expression, like she regretted pointing it out, and she cut him off. “But you can’t run a shop all by yourself, right? You must have employees.”

“Well, yeah. There’s my second-in-command, Doom.”

“Doom?”

“Remember how I rescued a cat from a burning tree? The rest of the story is that I adopted the cat and named her Doom. And now she helps around the shop.” He paused to reconsider. “Well, she mostly sleeps on the counter and meows at the customers. But she’s good at it.” 

She fixed him with a chastising look. “I hope you pay her a living wage. Because otherwise that’s just exploitative.” 

“Of course! What do you take me for? I pay her in cat food and scratches. And sometimes catnip, if she’s good.” Why he was yammering on about his cat to a beautiful girl he just met, he couldn’t say. But he felt surprisingly comfortable doing it. 

“So is Doom watching the shop while you’re here?”

“Oh, no!” He laughed at the image of his cat behind the register. “No, there’s an actual human employee looking after her and the shop. I hope Doom is OK. She’s actually…” He looked around and lowered his voice excitedly. “She’s actually expecting kittens soon.”

Stevie’s body perked up in excitement. “Oh my gosh, really?”

“Yeah! It’s bad timing, ‘cause I might not get to be there when they’re born. But I’m well excited.” He’d never admitted how excited he was until this moment. He hadn’t wanted to tempt fate, but talking to Stevie felt like a timeout from the punishing universe. He was safe. 

“Are you giving her paid purr-ternity leave?” 

“Of course!” He said in mock offense. “What sort of establishment do you think I’m running?” 

As they chatted on the roof terrace, he felt light and relaxed. Lucky to be getting this one-on-one with Stevie. His first day was going surprisingly well. Friends with Stevie was good. Honestly, best case scenario. This way he could actually enjoy her company, rather than be tortured by her.

They heard the islanders below slowly begin to make their way back into the villa. It was getting late. “I guess it’s bedtime,” said Stevie, heading toward the sliding door. 

Seb called her back. “Hey, before we head back in. I’m glad we had this chat. We should do it again. If you ever need to talk, that is.”

Her normally sardonic expression softened. “Okay, I will. Next time I need a smoke break.”

Half of his brain decided to go in for a hug, while the other half decided that was a bad idea, resulting in an odd body lurch in her direction. Hot embarrassment crept up his neck, but a pair of cool arms encircled him, pulling him in for a hug. She squeezed around his middle unselfconsciously, her head rested just below his chin. She smelled like aloe and fresh air. 

The hug was friendly and brief, but it made his tension dissipate like magic. His whole body felt looser, floaty. He wanted his arms around her again. 

As friends, of course. That’s what they had decided. It was a good idea. 

Friends. 


	4. Know Your Onion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guys make dinner.

A lonely little petunia in an onion patch. 

The phrase pushed its way into Seb’s mind with the la-dee-da lilt of his mum as he considered the forsaken onion sitting before him on the cutting board. That’s how she would describe him right now if she could see him, hiding at the edge of the kitchen while everyone else bustled around chatting to one another. She would call him that when she thought he was being sulky and superior. The irony was that he usually felt like the onion amongst petunias.

And besides, he wasn’t sulking. There were quite literally too many cooks in the kitchen. So Seb decided to avoid the struggle, and camped out on the outer edge of the counter where he could safely watch the chaos ensue. 

“You’re cleaning that up, mate.” Bill sniped at Harry, who had just knocked several items off the crowded counter. 

“I am not. It’s not my fault.”

“How is it not your fault? Your foot is in my mince!”

To be fair, Nicky had been pulling random items from the fridge and placing them on the counter, monopolizing the already limited counter space. But Harry and Bill weren’t helping things as they competed to occupy the remainder. Both were haphazardly gathering items and creating an ungodly mess in the process. Camilo was the only one who really looked at home in the kitchen, but he was too preoccupied with his work to help the rest of them.

Harry and Bill had been bickering all day. Ever since they’d found out that they were both choosing Stevie for their date. Camilo picked her too, but like now, he remained cooly above it all, and sidestepped them and their tension. 

Truth be told, Seb had also considered choosing Stevie for about half a second. She seemed like the most fun to spend an afternoon with. And if he was being completely honest with himself, he was thinking about her a bit. His mind kept pulling unwillingly to thoughts of her. What sort of music did she play? How did she take her coffee? What did she think of the other Islanders? What did she think of him?

But when every other guy but Nicky announced they’d be choosing Stevie, he knew. That’s just the type of girl she was. Everyone was drawn to her. It was like discovering a song that spoke to your soul so clearly and directly, only to find out that everyone else felt the exact same way and had already been playing it on repeat for a month. 

It was almost a relief though, realizing that Stevie was just the next catchy chart-topper. He didn’t usually go for the obvious. He had a kind of built in anti-tropism to things people generally loved. When others leaned in, he leaned away. He used to wear that personality trait proudly, but now he was starting to suspect that it just made him kind of an asshole.

Asshole or not, his silly infatuation would fade soon enough. Plus, they’d decided to be mates. In the end, he ended up going on a date with AJ. It felt too political to pick anyone besides his own partner. And AJ wasn’t terrible company. She took care of all the talking at least, so the risk of embarrassing himself trying to be charming in front of the camera was minimal. They’d been about two minutes into their date when AJ admitted she had a crush on Stevie, and she spent the rest of the time discussing her many wonderful traits. It wasn’t a bad time, actually.

A fog of perfume and hair product wafted into the kitchen preceding the girls, mixing oddly with the already confusing concoction of scents that the boys were creating. Seb grabbed a nearby knife and tried to look busy, jabbing the onion with the sharp tip. 

Genevieve, a petunia of a person if he ever knew one, bounced cheerily over to Harry. Iona, Miki, and Elladine followed suit and found their own partners. AJ gave him a nod across the room and then hovered around the other couples, keeping an eye on Stevie, who was last to arrive. 

Stevie scanned the kitchen, and to his surprise, her eyes widened in pleasant recognition when they met his, and she crossed the food-splattered room to greet him. “This is mayhem. How are you faring?”

“I’m, uh…” He nudged the onion again and chuckled. “I’m so out of my element.” She had the whole villa bidding for her time. And yet in a room full of admirers, she was looking for him first. He knew he was just a mate to her, but it still made his stomach plunge into a pleasant nausea, like he’d just taken the first puff of a cigarette. 

She nodded down at the onion. “You’re not going to eat that thing straight up like Gary last season, are you?” He didn’t watch the show, but he actually knew this Love Island anecdote. Gabby had nearly vommed all over the shop’s jazz section telling him about it.

“I would but then every girl would be after me. I just don’t have that kind of energy.”

Her eyes rolled as her face lifted into a smile. “That kind of admiration  _ is _ exhausting.” 

“As you well know.” 

She kept her attention focused on the onion but her expression shifted into something new. She didn’t look guilty, but maybe a bit bashful. Her words came out slightly softer than before. “Maybe  _ I _ should eat it.” 

“I don’t think it’d be enough to deter anyone.”

He caught her eye and she gave him that Stevie look. Almost a smile, but too muddied with other emotions to truly qualify as one. After a moment she looked away, and the smile-that-wasn't-a-smile fell away. “It’d probably taste better than whatever abomination they’re making over there.” She jerked her head in the direction of Bill, who must have lost the argument with Harry, because he was picking up a squashed mushroom off the floor. 

“Hey Seb.” AJ sidled up, gave him a quick nod, and then directed her focus to Stevie. “Hey!” Her face flooded with color. “It’s a mess in here. Do you want to go sit out by the pool?” The red in her cheeks darkened as her eyes fixed on Stevie’s lips.

Stevie angled her body toward AJ and lightly touched the cuff of her jacket sleeve. “That sounds nice.” The timbre of her voice shifted. The words were buttery and warm. He ignored the tight gnawing feeling in his stomach. 

A nervous giggle erupted out of AJ. Stevie gave Seb’s shoulder a squeeze before leaving and said quietly to him. “No rest for the wicked.” She turned back to a beaming AJ and they left, their arms brushing together as they walked away. 

Even with two fewer people, the sound slowly bubbled up. The other girls were peppering the boys with critiques and questions, which added a layer of tension on top of Bill and Harry’s sniping. After the 6th or 7th “helpful” comment, Nicky shooed them out of the kitchen. Seb decided to take the opportunity to wander off himself. Perhaps he could steal a rare moment of solitude. 

He headed in the direction of the daybeds but stopped just short to linger under the more natural lighting of the trees. Everything on Love Island was head-achingly neon. It was peaceful in that shadowy in-between. He could only barely hear the squabbling of the guys, and the girls’ voices floated softly from the direction of the pool. 

But after a moment, he felt awkward standing alone in a shady corner. He tried the fake smoking thing that Stevie did, figuring it would at least occupy his hands, but he just felt dumb. It was cooler when Stevie did it.

He turned to head back to the kitchen when the sound of his name leapt out at him from the loungers below. 

“I thought Seb was adorable. He looked so lost and out of place.” It was Genevieve. A tentative warmth filled his face. Adorable was not a word often used to describe him, but he’d take it. Even if she was making fun of him a bit. 

"Hm, yeah." Elladine's voice rose through the night air, giving a vague response that was clear in it's meaning: nothing about Seb was adorable. It stung his ego a bit, but didn’t surprise him. "Does that mean you're reconsidering things with Harry?" Elladine continued.

Genevieve sighed. “ No. I don’t know. Things were going really well. But I don’t know what to make of him.”

“Because of the date,” Elladine said with a note of sympathy in her voice. “I was surprised he didn’t choose you.” 

“Well, we talked about it when he got back.”

“Oh, how did he seem?”

“A little drunk, to be honest,” Genevieve said with a smile and maybe a smidgen of disapproval in her tone. “He was all over me. Going on about how much he fancied me.”

“Well then I don’t get it. Why choose Stevie?”

Viv released a frustrated little laugh. “He said he felt bad for her? Being the only single one.”

“Hm... He didn’t know Bill and Camilo were choosing her too?”

“That’s what he said.” The words came out as sigh. 

There was a pause, which he imagined must be filled with an exchange of meaningful looks. Then Viv took another deep centering breath. “Things have been going really well, so I’m just going to trust it.”

“Maybe he  _ was _ just being friendly?” Elladine said as though unconvinced by her own suggestion.

“I suppose that’s how this works, right?” Genevieve said with a little more confidence. “We’re supposed to be getting to know everyone. If someone else had asked me on a date, I wouldn’t have thought twice about going.” 

“Yeah, it’s only day 2.” 

Viv groaned and her voice shifted direction, as though she were laying back into the lounger. “Maybe I’m just a little salty that no one else picked me for a date.” 

There was a creak of the plastic chair and Elladine’s voice came out a little lower. “Who would you have wanted to ask you?” 

“Well--” 

“Grub’s up, ladies!” Camilo’s voice rang out from the direction of the kitchen, startling Seb. Suddenly feeling like a creep for listening in, he spun away from Genevieve and Elladine’s voices and hurried back into the kitchen. 

He made it just in time to see the backs of the other lads making their way out of the kitchen manned with various dishes. In a panic, he grabbed his onion and made his way out to the table where the boys were setting out their “feast.” Can you call it a feast if there’s only one edible dish? The girls gazed upon it as though pondering the same question. After a few moments of noble effort to eat the other stuff (while Bill and Harry bickered about the proper way to boil pasta), everyone gave up the act and settled happily on Camilo’s empanadas. 

“Man, this grub’s so good. It reminds me of a date I had at this Brazilian barbeque place,” Nicky said through a mouthful of empanada. “They just kept piling meat on our plates. At one point, I couldn’t see my date’s face through the meat tower!” 

“Sounds class,” Bill said.

“It was at first, but I didn’t really think it through.” He swallowed another bite. “By the end of the meal, we could hardly move. Kinda goes without saying neither of us exactly felt sexy after eating that much.” 

“That’s not that bad a date,” Seb said. 

A smile tugged at the edges of Stevie’s mouth. “Go on Seb, what is a bad date?” 

He grunted and then laughed as the memory surfaced. “So, I once dated this girl. Ashley or something. I can’t remember her name, which is fitting seeing as she never remembered mine.”

“Ouch,” Genevieve grimaced. “What do you mean?”

“The entire time we were seeing each other, she called me Mark.” Laughter burbled among the group. “It got past the point where I could correct her.”

“What do you mean?” Viv tilted her head to the side, frowning. “Why didn’t you just say something?” 

“Well, I… I didn’t realize she’d gotten my name wrong until…” He swallowed hard, trying to walk back out of the embarrassing story he’d trapped himself into telling. 

“She said it during sex,” Iona guessed. Accurately. 

Seb shrugged. “Didn’t seem like the time to fact check.” 

Nicky leaned back in his chair laughing. “So what’d you do, man?” 

“The only thing I could. I dumped her.” 

“Ugh,” Miki frowned. 

“It was either face the discomfort of dumping her or tell her that my name was actually Seb after three months of dating. I know which one I preferred.” 

Stevie snorted into her hand, covering her full mouth. “I’d have done the same thing. Too painful.” 

“Yeah. Somehow dumping someone is just easier.” 

Genevieve and Elladine exchanged a disapproving look, making him feel suddenly embarrassed for his younger self’s behavior. Viv clearly wasn’t finding this anecdote adorable. A familiar floaty feeling began to creep up his spine as his consciousness tried to twist away from the embarrassment.

He’d always known he wasn’t quite standard issue. He’d picked up on that young. There were little clues. The wrinkle between his mum’s brow when she saw what he was wearing. The tight lipped silence his father offered him in conversation. The downward curve of a lover's mouth when he finally let himself relax and open up. Every time a bud of Seb’s personality blossomed into existence, it was met with puzzled expressions and frowns. Maybe that’s why he was such a grump. It was tough for him to bring enthusiasm when it had never bothered to meet with him. 

Seb gave a little cough, trying to clear the discomfort away. “What’s that say about us, Stevie?”

She pinned him with a look and gave him an unapologetic nod. She had a fuck-em glint in her eye that anchored him. “People better get our names right.” 

Stevie nailed him down with that look. It was a moment between them that said,  _ Sit down. No need to run away. You have every right to take up space here _ _.  _

He wanted her to take up space too. “Alright, I want to hear one of your stories. You must have a few.” 

“Wow, thanks.” Her tone was threaded with a snarky affection. “Okay, I’ve got a good one.” She straightened up with a shimmy. “It was a blind date. A friend of a friend who was reportedly ‘a really nice guy.’” 

“Oh boy,” Nicky said. 

“He was really playing up the gentleman thing.” 

Iona leaned forward in interest. “Ooh I love a gentleman.” She shot Camilo a flirty look. 

“No, not in a good way. The very first thing he did was kiss my hand and called me ‘m’lady’.” Iona and AJ groaned. 

“What’s wrong with m’lady?” Harry asked. 

Stevie ignored him and continued. “He took me cloud watching.” A collective awww ballooned up from the group. “Stop! It wasn’t cute!” she hushed them. “It was January! I think he intentionally did it so he could offer me his coat. By the end of the date he was saying we were destined for each other because he saw a heart shaped cloud.” She put a hand to her mouth, feigning a gag. “I don’t know if you’ve  _ seen _ clouds, but they all arguably look like hearts.”

“Aww,” Genevieve perched her head on her hand. “He was a bit melty, but maybe he was just smitten.” 

“No,” Stevie continued. “I don’t think he even liked me that much. He barely let me get a word in edgewise. And he practically threw a hissy fit when I wouldn’t let him kiss me.” 

“Yuck. That’s the worst.” AJ frowned. 

“Actually I haven’t told you the  _ worst _ part yet.” She looked around, pausing in suspense. “He’d made me…” Her nose wrinkled in disgust. “... a mix cd.”

An indignant laugh farted out of him. “Pfft. On a first date?” To him, mixtapes were an art form. One he’d perfected over the years as he’d developed his shop. To stock a record store you have to know the lay of the land in every musical genre, not just the ones you like. So once he got to know someone, he could craft a playlist that spoke to every part of them, in exactly the musical language that cracked them open. He could tailor it to whatever they were going through, whatever they needed more of, with whatever type of music they loved. To Seb, there was no better way to express your feelings for someone, to connect with them. But if you’d never met someone before, what could your mixtape possibly be expressing besides your own ego? It was an affront to the whole spirit of the mix tape.

“CD?” Bill chuckled. “How long ago was this Stevie? Did you bring your tamagotchi along for the date?” 

Viv waved a hand at Bill to quiet him. “Wait, what’s so bad about that? Mixtapes are romantic.” 

“Sure, when you know someone,” Stevie agreed. “And you have an actual relationship. He didn’t know anything about me.” It made his chest warm to hear her speak his own thoughts out loud.

Seb joined in with uncharacteristic confidence. “At that point he’s just trying to impress you with his musical tastes.”

“Exactly! The whole date was like that. Him talking about himself and checking my reaction to see how impressed I was.” She shrugged and reached for another empanada. “Needless to say, we got married and lived happily ever after.” 

Everyone laughed, perhaps a touch louder than the joke warranted. But they were all giddy with watching her, hanging on her every word. Stevie seemed surprisingly at ease with the attention. No hint of a funny voice. He could see the performer in her for the first time. How she could hold an audience. 

Harry stood up. “Looks like everyone’s about done.” He started gathering plates around him (including Seb’s with an untouched empanada he had been planning on eating). Harry piled a worrisome number of dishes on his arm, waiter style and smiled down graciously at everyone, as if to say,  _ I know. I’m just a nice guy like that _ . But his smug expression fell away when a plate shifted, tilting a glob of red mushy sauce on top of Stevie’s periwinkle hair. 

Everyone froze in shock, including Stevie, as the runny mess dripped down her forehead.

“Now  _ that’s _ a sauce surprise,” Bill said, breaking the silence. 

“Mate!” Harry snapped at Bill. His voice cracked as he said the word, his eyes wide with embarrassed worry. 

Bill gave an irritated wave of his hand at Harry. “Why are you even cleaning up? I thought you moaned about cleaning up earlier.”

Before Harry could respond, Stevie calmly grabbed a handful of mush from her own plate, and deposited it on Harry’s pristine white button up. 

His face was stony as he plucked a string of spaghetti off his shirt. There was an unexpected heat between them as they stared each other down. “Oh, it’s on Stevie.” 

The screech of chairs filled the air as everyone either ran for cover or dug their hands into the various bowls to gather ammunition. The scene exploded in calamity as food started flying in all directions. Clumps of differing degrees of juiciness and warmth began to fleck Seb’s head and face. Instinctively, Seb grabbed a handful of something wet nearby and joined in. 

He surveyed the chaos. Miki and Elladine had escaped, hovering just outside of the radius of the fight. Camilo ran toward them with the plate of empanadas and the girls laughed and applauded at his arrival. Bill and Harry were exchanging fire with a little more intensity than appropriate. 

“Mark!” a voice shouted behind him. Involuntarily he turned his head in response. Stevie was staring at him with a huge beaming smile as she collapsed into a belly laugh at him answering to his incorrect name. He hadn’t seen her laugh like that before. Full force. Unselfconscious. It filled his chest with an effervescent thrill. 

He gave a laughing sigh before tightening his ponytail. “That’s it.” He grabbed a handful of red fruit salad and stepped toward her. 

“Wait! No!” She raised her hands protectively in front of her and pleaded with him. “We’re friends, remember? You said you would do my evil bidding.”

“I never said evil bidding.” He would 100% do her evil bidding, but he kept that bit to himself. 

She shrugged. “Either way, you’re on  _ my _ side. Plus...” She pointed behind him. “Wouldn’t you rather join forces and get him instead?” Harry was swinging Genevieve around wildly, using her as a human shield. 

“I’m in.” 

They began to creep over to Harry but Stevie squeezed his arm, signaling him to stop. Reaching across the table where Seb had been sitting, she grabbed his onion. An impish grin spread across her face as she plunged the onion into the mushy red pasta and pulled it out with a squelch. They quietly snuck up behind Harry and Seb grabbed his trousers, allowing Stevie to drop the onion bomb in the back. 

Harry yelped and released a hassled-looking Genevieve. His hands grappled with the wet lump protruding from his arse. “You twats!” He spun around looking for who had accosted him.

Seb and Stevie’s eyes met as they realized they were about to be found out. They leaned toward one another to confer quietly. “Pool.” Her face was bright and wild. That close, he could see that she had a freckle on her eyelid. She grabbed his hand and they sprinted away from Harry. They were fully clothed but what did it matter? It seemed like a silly thing to worry about as they bolted across the asphalt hand in hand. The wind swelled up around them as their feet left the ground. She held onto him as they hit the water, but they were knocked apart on impact. Seb rushed to the surface, his lungs begging to fill with laughter. As he broke the surface, the air snapped from muffled rush to the sharp musical sound of Stevie’s cackling laugh. His wet hair obscured his vision but he could make out her smeared mascara and broad, sparkling smile. 

There they were. Two happy little onions in a petunia patch. 


	5. Please Please Please

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first group recoupling is afoot.

Bill, blinded by his bucket-covered head, bumped clumsily into Nicky, who was wearing a toxic-looking red lipstick. Camilo was sporting a pair of lacy pants that made everyone feel a little inadequate.

Or maybe that was just Seb. 

He was looking as undignified as everyone as AJ released him from a chain of her knotted lingerie. They'd just finished the Truth and Dare challenge, an absurd game that no one seemed to be playing correctly. Not that it mattered. The objective was to play out ridiculous scenarios and in that, they'd succeeded.

As everyone tried to resume some state of dignity, a text came in, which Nicky read aloud.

_ Islanders, tonight is a recoupling. The boys will be picking who they want to couple up with. Please get ready and gather round the fire pit. #gentlemenschoice _

AJ slumped like someone had let the air out of her. She had been positively euphoric since Stevie had kissed her as one of the dares. Seb had gotten an uncomfortably close view of it, and AJ had been floating around like a balloon tied to his wrist ever since. But there was no way for her to couple up with Stevie in a boys’ choice recoupling.

Stevie’s phone pinged. 

_ As the only single Islander you also will be choosing in tonight’s recoupling. You will be picking first. #firstcomefirstserve #ladiesfirst _

A thread of tension yanked at her words as she finished reading. All eyes fell on Stevie. Some filled with worry, some with hope, some with jealousy. She dodged their looks and made her way over to him. “Seb,” she said in a high, tittering voice. “Fancy a smoke break?” Without waiting for him to respond she pulled him away toward the bean bag chairs. “Sorry,” she murmured into his shoulder when they’d put some space between them and the rest of the group. “I had to get out of there before one of them grabbed me for a ‘quick chat.’” 

“No problem,” he answered. “I’m used to it after being dragged around by AJ’s knick knocks all afternoon.” 

She smirked. “Sounds like a good time to me.” She dropped his arm and collapsed into a bean bag chair. He loved how she sat. Her body always looked fully possessed and at home with itself. She didn’t spare mental energy worrying about the attractiveness of her posture, and she wasn’t afraid to spread out. Once she was comfortably sprawled across the bean bag, she looked over at AJ who was now doing pull ups at the gym. “She is so fucking hot.” 

“She’s a good egg.” Seb sank down into the seat next to her. “A fun partner. I’ll give you that.” 

She gave an enthusiastic nod of agreement. “I’ll say. She’s more fun than pretty much every date I’ve been on.” 

“These lads not up to your standards?” He had to admit hearing her talk shit about the other guys was enjoyable.

“No, it's not that. It's just…” She wrinkled nose in thought, her nose ring shimmering in the bright sun. “So much small talk. It's weird.”

“Not a big talker?”

“I like talking. Just not the chit chat you have to do on your way there.” She let her head fall back and closed her eyes again, drinking in the sun. “It's just a lot, three dates in a row. ”

“Oh you poor thing,” he said dispassionately.

She cocked her head to give him a look. “Like you wouldn’t be bitching and moaning if you had to go on 3 dates in a row with a camera shoved in your face the whole time.” That did sound truly awful. She totally had him pegged. 

“Fair enough.” 

She laid her head back again and was quiet for another moment before releasing a tired sigh. “See, this is easy.” She waved her hand between them without opening her eyes. “Those dates were so awkward. Too much pressure for there to be chemistry. They may be interesting and charming but you’d never know it under those circumstances.” She popped an eye open and one side of her mouth twitched as she peeked back at AJ, who was now doing burpees. “Or like… I get back from those dates, run into AJ, and it’s immediately nice and easy.” She unsuccessfully tried to suppress a pleased little smirk. “We share a little kiss. It’s a good time.” 

“I thought that kiss today looked a little too friendly to be the first time.” 

“Well, I’m a friendly girl, Seb.” The way she said his name filled his gut with an achy heat. She somehow managed to make every syllable sound like a secret language just for him. Her smile dissolved into something more apprehensive.  She ripped up a couple of blades of astroturf. “I need to stop kissing her so much though.”

“Why? You both seemed happy enough about it.”

“Because,” she said, as though the word were a full sentence. She gave him a sideways glance as if to see whether she was getting away with that response, and then sighed. “Because....” She straightened up and lifted her chin and said in a prissy, sanctimonious voice, “Because I’m a lady.”

Seb choked back a laugh. “You, miss, are no lady.” He said it in his best Rhett Butler voice. His nan used to watch that movie and Seb would join her out of pure boredom. That scene always caught his attention as a boy. Scarlett O’Hara smashing some valuable against the wall, an outrageously wild display compared to the quiet, repressed nature of his own home. And Rhett’s cool and witty response to her ire. Like it wasn’t something to be embarrassed of. Like he enjoyed it. The words rose from his memory of their own volition. “Don’t think that I hold that against you. Ladies have never held any charm for me.”

Stevie threw her head back in a full-throated laugh. It gave him an endorphin rush to make her laugh like that. “Was that supposed to be an American accent? I didn’t realize you were such a Gone With the Wind buff.” 

“Why not? I’m worldly.” A laughable notion in itself, thinking of his nan’s shabby living room as worldly. He nudged her foot with his.  “What about your accent? What is that? You don’t sound like the people in the news.”

She laughed and sat up. “You got that right, brother.” She thrust her chest out. “This is how we talk in the Blue Ridge mountains.”

He stretched back in his seat, getting more comfortable. “I don’t know anything about it. What’s it like there?” He enjoyed this silly side of her and felt a stirring of excitement at the prospect of getting a window into her real life. 

“Well,” she started, like she was about to tell a tale. Her accent was more exaggerated than usual. “I’m from a town, if you can call it a town, known as Woolworth. Which is just outside the booming metropolis of Ferrell. But that’s where the fancy city folk live. They think they’re better than us Woolworthians because they have a stoplight.” He listened to the cadence of her speech. He couldn’t identify specific accents, but the lilt in her voice reminded him of Dolly Parton or Willie Nelson. 

“So you’re from a suburb of a stoplight.” It was strange to think of her as a small town girl. In her Villa intro, they had said she was from London, so he’d categorized her in his mind as a city type. He wondered which she preferred. 

“To be fair, it’s a very nice stoplight. It’s got red, green, even yellow.”

“Well, then. I’ll have to visit sometime. How’d you end up in the UK? 

“A boy,” she said with finality. 

"Peter?"

Her eyebrows lifted and she gave him an appraising look. "Yeah." She was quiet for a long while, and he sat with her in that silence. Finally, she continued. "I was playing at a festival, sitting in with a friend’s band. My ex, a Romford native, was playing around in a few cities in the US. And on that day, slumming it with us mountain yokels.” He noticed that she still referred to him as her ex, like she was avoiding his name. “He had a set to play, but his bass player had done too much acid or something. Someone-- a friend of a friend of a friend, I don’t remember-- suggested me to fill in.” By the time she finished talking, the energy in her voice had dwindled significantly. She sounded almost bored. Like she barely remembered it.

“Did you know his music?”

“Nah, but I’m a bit of a musical chameleon. It’s my special talent.” The words sounded hollow, like it was something she’d been told but wasn’t particularly proud of. “Anywho, he ended up sniffing around me the rest of the festival. The rest was history.”

“So he just claimed you in the name of the Queen?”

“Pretty much.” She squinted into the sun and gave a humorless laugh. “It was a real whirlwind romance, or at least, he wanted it to be. I finished out his little tour with him, and then when it was time for him to go back to London, he acted like the idea of me  _ not _ coming with him was…” The last word thudded heavily out of her lips. “... unbearable.” She shook her head, her expression stony as she dropped her gaze to the ground. “Ridiculous to think of now.” She sat up a little straighter and resumed her typical unbothered expression. “I didn’t take much convincing though. I was looking for a way to escape. That’s why I was at that festival in the first place.” Her tone was dismissive. “I was ready to hitch my wagon regardless.” One of the cameramen hovered nearby, like an ominous wasp bullying its way into their conversation. Stevie shot Seb a look indicating that this bit of the conversation was over. “So, who do you think the boys are gonna choose? Anticipating any upsets?”

“Well,” he said in a falsely serious tone. Like they were talking strategy. “I think that depends on you. Nicky is likely to stick with Elladine. Bill and Camilo have been pretty open about fancying you.” Stevie stared contemplatively ahead and nodded as he spoke. “I would have said Harry too, but him and Viv were looking pretty loved up this morning.” 

She stopped nodding but looked otherwise unperturbed. “Oh yeah?”

“He was laying it on pretty thick. Set me off my breakfast.” 

“What did he say?” she asked in a half-interested tone.

“He was going on about how lucky he was to be paired up with her.” It wasn’t only what he’d been saying, but his general handsiness that had bothered Seb. Murmuring in her ear, pressing against her while she tried to fix breakfast. He’d been trying to cop a feel from the looks of it, but Seb left that part out. He didn’t want to be an outright gossip. 

“What a melt.” She smiled but gave him a sideways glance. “Although, a person  _ would _ be lucky to pair up with Genevieve, don’t you think?” 

“Um, yeah, sure.” He felt suddenly under the microscope. The cameraman was still hovering nearby. “She’s fit. And nice.” 

Her mouth screwed up into a smile. “You’re so obvious.” 

“What?” he asked indignantly. But he never got a response because they were interrupted.

“Hey!” AJ smiled down at them, practically shuddering with potential energy. She handed Stevie a phone. “You left this over there. The producers sent me over to tell you to head to the beach hut. They want to interview you before tonight.” She sported a broad, just-happy-to-be-here smile. 

Stevie got to her feet with a groan and smiled at AJ. “Thanks, hon.” She ruffled Seb’s hair with her hand as she passed behind his beanbag chair, which he enjoyed more than he’d like to admit. “Thanks, buddy.” 

AJ watched eagerly as Stevie sauntered away. Once she was out of sight, AJ collapsed into the bean bag chair next to him. “That girl,” she said with a dreamy expression. “Did she say anything about me?” 

“Nothing much. Just that you were ‘so fucking hot’ and that you were more fun than any of the boys.” 

A smile illuminated her face like a sunrise. “Really?! She said that? Oh my god, don’t mess with me.” 

He raised his hands as though swearing it’s truth. “I kid you not.” 

She bounced her legs in excitement. “Do you think she’ll pick me? Oh God, I hope she does. She’s the only one I really fancy.” She gave him an apologetic look. “No offense.” 

“Go on. I’m happy for you.”

“I just can't stop thinking about her, you know? She's like, stuck in my head. I'll be eating eggs and I'll think, I wonder how Stevie likes her eggs. Does she even eat eggs? So I asked her and turns out she likes runny eggs! Isn’t that fascinating?”

“Yeah,” he said, surprised to find he agreed. 

AJ opened her mouth to continue down her stream of consciousness, but seemed to get tripped up on another thought. She gave him a funny little look. “You know, everyone always says you’re so shirty, but you’re one of the nicest guys here.” 

A mix of worry and flattery jabbed at his brain. He was touched that AJ felt that way. But it stung to know that others were saying he was a knob (even if it was true). Had he been a dick to the others? Did Viv think he was an arse?  “Um, thanks.” 

“Really.” She cocked her head and gave him a soft look. “You’ve been a great partner. Even though we’re just friends.” 

He waved her off. “Of course. Did you think I was just going to ignore you?”

AJ rolled her eyes, a rare show of cynicism from her. “You’d be surprised how most guys treat women they don’t want to sleep with.” She met his eyes and gave him a sad, but tender little smile. “But anyway, thanks for being so supportive about me and Stevie.” 

An ember of contentment warmed in his chest. He’d never had a little sister, but he imagined this is what it felt like. It meant more to him than he would have thought. 

She gave him a bright look. “Do you know who you’re going to pick?”

“I don’t,” he said truthfully. There was one name that was floating to the top of his mind, but he knew to not stick his nose where it didn’t belong. If he chose Viv now, she’d probably just be angry at him for stealing her from someone she really liked. Everyone already thought he was a jerk, he didn’t want to fully embrace being the Villa villain. He considered his other options, but mostly it just felt out of his hands. He had no clue where he’d end up in the lineup. And he assumed several guys were going to have to be picking from their 2nd and 3rd choices. There was a strong chance he would end up single. He wondered if that meant he would be going home tonight, and felt a double edged pang. On one side, longing to see Doom, to be within the familiar, dusty walls of his shop. And on the other side, a stabbing realization of how much he would already miss Stevie if he left.

Guess he would figure out which way it would cut tonight.

***

Night fell quickly, and before Seb knew it, they were gathered at the fire pit, sweat pooling in their evening clobber, while they tried not to choke on Harry’s 10p cologne. Stevie looked her typical mix of defiant and detached. The other girls stood off to the side staring anxiously at her. Even the flames seemed to flicker and startle when Stevie finally cleared her throat to begin. “You’d think it would be a dream come true to get first pick like this. But it’s actually been really hard. Because no matter who I pick, I’ll be stealing someone’s partner. But there’s one person who really stands out to me. I feel like we are well-suited for one another. So I pick…” Her eyes shifted around the crowd. Her eyes dropped, like she was making an apology.

“Harry.” The name cut through the night air like a shark fin sending ripples of surprise through the group.

Harry? Had he heard her right? 

He must have because Harry jogged over to the fire pit sporting a wide smile. He took Stevie in his arms and kissed her enthusiastically on the cheek. Which surprised him. He thought Harry would appear conflicted at the least. But he looked well chuffed. Stevie’s reaction was harder to read. She had her usual nonchalant expression but her eyes hinted at something more complicated and kept flickering over in the direction of AJ. 

This threw his calculations of what would be happening in this recoupling. So he tried to do the maths but his brain would only produce white noise. He looked over at Genevieve, who was staring at Stevie and Harry with her mouth knotted tightly shut. 

He looked at AJ next, who looked positively heartbroken. The noise in his head began to thump into a recognizable pattern: guilt. He’d been the one to get AJ’s hopes up. But it had seemed so clear earlier. He replayed the moment over in his head. Stevie had been drooling over AJ. No one else even seemed to be on her radar. The choice was obvious, right? 

He was vaguely aware of the other guys making their unsurprising choices as his earlier conversation with Stevie replayed through his mind. He didn’t realize his phone had buzzed until he heard Elladine calling his name, prompting him to take his turn. 

He stood up and faced the remaining girls, Genevieve and AJ. Anxiety thumped in his chest. This was his chance to try things out with Viv. She’d said he was adorable, after all. He didn’t think he had imagined a bit of interest from her. He wanted to get some kind of sign from her now that she was open to the idea, but Viv’s eyes were glued to where Harry was murmuring into Stevie’s ear, just like he’d done to Viv that morning. His hand was gently stroking her thigh. Stevie was rolling her eyes but Seb couldn’t help but notice that her legs fell slightly apart as his hand crept up her thigh. 

He swallowed back the acid in his throat and walked to stand in front of everyone. “Well,” he started. Genevieve didn’t bother pretending to listen to him. She didn’t even look in his direction. A soft sniffling sound pulled his attention to AJ, who was giving him a pleading, dejected look. Her face trembled on the verge of fully crumpling.

He started talking without knowing what he was going to say. “Guess it’s my turn to choose.” Genevieve still did not look at him. She crossed her arms and gave a blank look at nothing in particular, like she just wanted to get this over with. AJ attempted to give him an encouraging smile but the strain was evident in her eyes, which were brimming with unshed tears. What if he chose Viv and then AJ got dumped? He couldn’t handle being responsible for that. He continued his speech. “We’re not into each other romantically, but she’s an amazing human being and I’m really lucky to have her as a friend. And I don’t want her to be at risk of going home, because I know she’ll find the right person for her any day now. So the girl I want to couple up with is AJ.” 

Because he couldn’t help himself, he stole a glance at Stevie and saw the face she made when she thought no one was looking. A turbulent mix of relief and doubt. 

AJ smiled at him as a tear slipped down her cheek. She hurriedly brushed it away and snapped her face into a facsimile of her typical sunshiney smile. “Phew!” She released a little nervous laugh. “Thanks, mate.” They shared a friendly hug and went to sit down. Seb risked a look at Genevieve, who still didn’t seem to notice that he had chosen anyone. She huffed a bored sounding breath and broke away from the group, heading toward the pool.

“Well, we survived our first recoupling!” Elladine said cheerfully. “Wait, where’s Genevieve?”

Nicky frowned. “She’s wandered off.”

“Poor thing,” Elladine said. “She must be gutted.”

Harry broke his heated gaze on Stevie and looked around curiously. “I’ll go check on her.” 

Stevie had a grim look on her face. “No, I’m the one who did this. I’ll talk to her.” 

Harry gave her a concerned look but it was clear that she had made her mind up. He tugged her closer and said, “See you in a bit, babe?” Seb suppressed an eye roll at Harry using a pet name for her already. 

AJ looked longingly at Stevie’s retreating figure. 

Seb turned to her. “AJ, I’m so sorry. I really thought--” 

“I know you did,” she cut him off. “Some people may be intentionally misleading here, but I know you’re not one of them.” She flicked her eyes upward and bit the inside of her cheek as she worked to hold back more tears.

“Well, I’m sorry that it didn’t turn out the way you’d hoped.” 

She gave a shrug like she was trying to shake off the disappointment. “I’m still paired up with one of the best blokes here, right?” She gave him a weak smile, compounding his guilt. He squeezed her shoulder and then pulled her in for a hug. She allowed herself one shaky breath into his shoulder, and then pulled away, brushing her hair back and pasting on a more convincing smile. 

“I have no idea what time it is but I’m going to go to bed.” She gave one last attempt at a cheerful wave and then headed inside. 

The brief conversation with AJ wore him out more than anything else. It pained him to see her so defeated. It had only been a couple days and AJ would be fine, but it was like seeing a puppy get kicked. She was such a kind, good person as far as he could tell. She didn’t deserve to be sad. 

The mood was surprisingly subdued the rest of evening. Genevieve and AJ went to bed early. The other couples had all stayed the same, so drama was relatively low. And Harry and Stevie were nowhere to be found. Which Seb didn’t want to think too hard about. He decided to go ahead and turn in himself. 

But despite his exhaustion, he couldn’t sleep. Not just because AJ was jerking her legs in dangerous motions, apparently playing some kind of dream field hockey match. Thoughts of the evening’s events kept nagging at his brain like petulant flies. AJ’s face when Stevie chose Harry. The way she had looked to Seb immediately after, like she wanted him to explain it to her. His own confusion at Stevie’s choice. Anger at the idea of her happily doing God-knows-what with Harry right now. 

He found himself reassessing every interaction he’d witness between Stevie and Harry. He’d had the impression that she didn’t really like him. She was flirty with him, but not in a way that seemed preferential. AJ had implied that Stevie had intentionally misled her. Could she have been misleading Seb as well? Why would she feel the need to downplay her feelings for Harry? He couldn’t even read how she felt about it afterwards. She seemed more inside her head than before. But she must be happy, right? She had her pick of everyone there. And she’d made her choice. She’d chosen Harry. 

Harry? He still couldn’t make sense of it. He didn’t know who was good enough for Stevie, but it wasn’t Harry. And the way he just dropped Genevieve like it was nothing. Like he’d already forgotten all about her. It just wasn’t right. Not after that display in the kitchen this morning. 

Genevieve. Thoughts of her wouldn’t leave him be either. It was a kick in the teeth that she showed no interest in him tonight. He had foolishly convinced himself that she could possibly be interested. But she didn’t spare the effort tonight to even feign interest. He didn’t even register on her radar as a consolation prize. He supposed he deserved that though. Like AJ said, he had a cob on all the time and was no fun to be around. Of course she wasn’t really interested in him.

He was still batting away the intrusive thoughts when Stevie and Harry finally came to bed. He tried not to imagine what they had been up to all this time. At least they’d taken it to the terrace and didn’t regale everyone in the bedroom with whatever it was they’d gotten up to. Especially since their bed was right next to his and AJ’s. 

As far as he could tell Harry fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. But Stevie, who was laying on the side of the bed closest to Seb, kept restlessly rolling around every few minutes. Eventually, a Stevie-shaped silhouette rose from the bed, and left the room. Almost immediately after, AJ delivered a particularly painful kick to his shin, so he decided he’d also had enough and followed Stevie. 

He found her outside on the daybeds, staring out at the landscape. She whipped her head around as he approached, her body rigid like a startled animal, but she relaxed when she saw it was him. 

“Oh good, it’s only you.” 

“Only me,” he echoed, the words jabbing at his already bruised ego. He was no one of consequence, here or elsewhere.

“Oh, no…” She shook her head distractedly. “Sorry, I didn’t…” She bit her fingernail and trailed off. 

He was brought up short by her expression. “You okay?” he asked. 

She looked so unsettled. So different from her confident demeanor earlier. Her body was curled in on itself, legs pulled tightly to her chest, her shoulders slumped down. Like she was trying to make herself small enough to disappear. She looked at him, not really seeing him, her eyes wide in unshared thought. “Yeah, I’m fine. I just can’t sleep.” 

“Any reason in particular?” He sat down on the bed across from her. 

She squared her shoulders toward him, unfurling herself a bit. Her knees brushed against his as she dropped her legs down and  she looked at him, chewing her lip, her brow furrowed in an almost angry expression. After a moment her face relaxed and she seemed to really focus on him for the first time. “I'm just gonna level with you, because I need someone to talk to and you're my closest friend right now.”

The words rushed out of her in one breath and onto him like the first hit of a hot shower, filling his limbs with an unexpected, glowy warmth. Closest friend  _ right now _ . Not just closest friend in the Villa. 

“We had sex,” she added, matter-of-factly.

The admission was like a whack on the nose, keeping him in check. He was determined to be a friend in this moment, but he wasn’t fond of the visual of Harry’s hands all over her. And why did she look so uneasy about it? He tried to keep his face and voice free of judgement. “Did you want to have sex with him?” 

“Oh yeah,” she responded immediately. “ _ Real _ bad,” she added with a gruff heat. Then she lowered her voice and leaned closer. “Are you, like, super fucking horny in here? I am wound tight.” She emphasized the last two words with a taut precision, and then huffed like she was releasing a valve. “And I guess, you know...” She leaned back and flicked her hand in the air, gesturing at nothing in particular. “I’ve been all worked up. And Harry has been…” She paused to consider her words. ”Very  _ clear _ about his interest. We’ve had several moments the past couple days.” She cast her gaze nervously around at all the discreetly placed cameras. The ever-present hidden eyes. She crossed the gap between them, climbing over to his bed. The mattress sank slightly as she sat, pressing the sides of their shoulders and legs into each other. 

She kept her voice just above a whisper and leaned her head close to him. He could smell the mint on her breath. “ I wasn't planning on having sex on the first night we were coupled up. But... I don't know. We'd been eye fucking each other for two days.  Turning him on…,” She rubbed her hands mindlessly back and forth over the bare skin of her legs, which sent a guilty shiver through Seb. “I wasn’t some meek, wounded creature anymore.” Her expression morphed into something sour. “Some old chewed-up piece of gum.  When I picked him, he treated me like a prize he’d won. I haven’t felt so wanted in a long time. And he  _ really _ wanted me. It made me feel..." She leaned even closer and breathed the word softly in her low, husky voice. "Powerful." A confusing feeling threaded through him, like a warm dread snaking its way through his chest into his gut.  He couldn’t decide if it would be mercy or torture if she stopped. He was utterly intoxicated with the pain of it. 

She tilted her head away from him. “But actually having sex. Feeling him inside of me. And then sleeping in a bed next to him? It felt…” She frowned at the dark horizon and gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head. “... different than I expected.” She straightened up and angled her body away from him, her warmth rapidly shifting into an aloof frigidity. 

Her sudden withdrawal created a vacuum between them, desperate to be replaced. She had let him close enough to see her, but now was pulling away again. He wanted her to stay. “Do you regret doing it?” he asked. 

She considered this for a moment. “No, it’s not that.” She frowned, and shifted her hips slightly closer to him. “It feels reckless. I let myself get carried away.” Her voice teemed with irritation with herself. Like she should have known better. “ I have felt like such a raw nerve ever since--” She cut herself off, leaving him to figure out for himself what the end of that sentence should be. “And then I just completely exposed myself and invited Harry to touch it.” 

She was being so open with him, giving pieces of herself to him, trusting him. From what he could tell, she was bold and fierce and a little wild. But he didn’t think of her as the trusting type. Not the kind to open up so quickly. AJ’s earlier comment buzzed irritatingly through his mind. He wanted to trust it. But he wasn’t sure if he did. And he didn’t know what to do with this offering. So he deflected with a joke. 

“Ew, he touched it?” 

She laughed and shoved him with her shoulder. It was comforting to hear her laugh. A cool breeze to break up the intensity of the previous moment. “I meant metaphorically, but actually both meanings apply.” 

“Please, spare me the details about how he shouts affirmations during the ol’ rumpy pumpy.” 

Stevie choked on a laugh and fell back on the bed, spreading her long body out. It was a relief to see her lavishly take up space again. “You’re an asshole. And I’m so glad you’re here.”

“I’m glad you’re here too,” he said, more sheepishly than he would have liked. He wanted to return the compliment with as much confidence as she’d given it. But the words would only emerge timidly. 

Stevie stared up at the sky, which seemed like a nice idea. He wasn’t sure if it would be weird for him to lay back with her. He hesitated, wanting to be close to her, but not totally certain of his motivations. Eventually, Stevie grabbed him by the shoulder and yanked him backwards. 

They looked up at the star-soaked sky together and he thought about what she had told him. He couldn’t imagine her as weak or helpless, but it made sense after what her ex had done. He didn’t know the details, but he could surmise that Peter’s cheating essentially ruined their relationship, a friendship, and her career in one fell swoop. No wonder she’d been strutting around with her claws out, trying to appear as brazen as possible. Smashing guitars and hearts to warn everyone away, so they couldn’t get close enough to see her wounds. “I don’t know if this helps to hear, or if it’s even my place to weigh in, but it’s okay to have sex with someone on the first night. And it’s also okay to not know how you feel about it. Maybe you and Harry will fall madly in love and live happily ever after, or maybe you’ll find that he’s an insufferable shag bandit.”

She released a harsh laugh. “Shag bandit? That is a very British insult.”

“Don’t interrupt, Yank. I’m trying to be sincere, here.” She hushed herself and gestured for him to continue. He took a breath before continuing. “Either way, it’s okay. And you should give yourself space to figure it out.” 

She absorbed his words before responding. “Thank you. It does help to hear.” She was still and quiet for a few moments. Until she sucked in a deep breath to ask, “How is AJ?” Her voice was full of tension. Like she was bracing for impact. 

“She’s…” He realized that, despite his earlier irritation, he didn’t want Stevie to feel badly about choosing Harry over AJ. Everyone in the Villa was doing this for the first time, and it was confusing. Stevie had so much bravado that it was easy to forget that she was just as confused as the rest of them. Maybe moreso. He didn’t understand her choice, but it wasn’t really his business who she chose and why. “She’ll be fine.” The image of AJ’s heartbroken face flashed in his mind, and he added. “But you might want to have a chat with her. She was taken off guard.” He gave a little throat clear. “I was surprised too.”

She closed her eyes and her mouth tightened to a tense line as she pulled in a breath. “I guess Harry isn’t the only one I’ve been reckless with.” She dragged her hand through her hair. “But this is exactly why I didn’t choose her. Even when I’m trying to do the right thing, I fuck up.” 

“How is not choosing her the right thing to do?”

She sighed heavily. “AJ is so lovely. I really like her. But…” She struggled for the words. “She wants high school, first love kind of love. She wants to be smitten soul mates.” Her tone ached with nostalgia, like she longed for a world where magic really existed. “And I just…” She lifted her hand as though trying to conjure that magic out of the air, but then dropped her hand helplessly. “I don’t have it in me. It wouldn’t end well.” 

He understood that feeling too well. Not being capable of believing in something that your partner desperately wanted you to believe in. "You probably did do the right thing by not choosing her. But I don't think the not-choosing her was the real problem here. It's all the misleading stuff you did  _ before _ not choosing her that hurt her."

She nodded silently like she was digesting his words. “You’re right,” she said softly.

“Now that you know it’s not a good idea, just leave her be. Don’t mess around with her.” He turned to look at her and she met his gaze. Her eyes were wide and vulnerable. ”You know, she’ll give you as many chances as you ask for.”

“You’re right,” she said, even more softly this time. Then with more of a hint of her typical dry wit, “Can you always follow me around and call me on my bullshit?”

“Sure,” he rolled to his side and propped up on one arm. “Speaking of, why did you come on this show?” It felt like a bold question. He wouldn’t have dared ask it earlier that day, but they were in a different place now. Something had shifted between them. 

She gave him a scolding smile, like he should know better than to ask her that. Her grey eyes flickered up to the cameras, and her eyes fluttered into a more earnest expression that seemed to say, I would tell you if I could. But maybe he imagined it, because then she answered in a rehearsed voice, “Fun in the sun, great friends, and if I’m lucky, love.” 

An answer that gave him no information. Perhaps, like him, this was a career move. A way to get more publicity. Or maybe she was looking for another escape, like when she’d moved to London.

“Hm, yes” he said, holding her gaze. “It’s not Friend Island, as they say.” He sighed and fell back on the bed. “As much as it may feel like it.” 

“That will change.” She fell back next to him. “I’ve seen the looks you’ve been getting.” Her tone was a little sad but she gave him a friendly nudge with her arm. Their fingers brushed together. He expected her to pull away, but instead, she hooked her pinky finger around his. After a moment she added,  "And Friend Island isn’t so bad." 

“Says the woman who got laid tonight.” 

She laughed loudly, giving his finger a little squeeze. Like her body, her laugh wasn’t afraid to fill the air around her. She shook her head like she’d just gotten a bad taste of something. “Ugh, I don’t like thinking about you sleeping with anyone here. I’m not sure any of these girls are good enough for you.” 

He wanted to laugh at the ludicrous notion. A handful of the fittest girls that an internationally-watched program could find. Not good enough for him, a failing business owner from Liverpool with a chronically sour personality. He wanted to protest. But it felt too good to hear. So he laid there under the cold, distant light of the stars, next to the soft warmth of her skin, and enjoyed how much she believed it.


End file.
